Second Chances
by TheTwoFlamingos
Summary: Set three years after Kings of the Highways...Liz gets an unexpected surprise. Unfortunately we do not own any of the characters nor do we make any money off our stories. We do this simply because we LOVE The Blacklist!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Mommy?" The tiny voice from beside her in the back seat broke through the soft music filtering through the car stereo. Ex-Special Agent Elizabeth Keen looked down at her three year old daughter.

"Yes Marie?" She responded.

"Are we going to see daddy today?" The three year old looked up at her mom with big smoky blue eyes that were an exact replica of her fathers. Her wavy brown hair was pulled back into a French braid and tucked under her red wool cap. The somber look on her daughters face made Liz's heart ache.

"Yes baby girl we are."

It had been three years to the day since Raymond Reddington was gunned down by her ex-partner Donald Ressler. They had finally taken down all the major players from the Cabal, after months on the run it all came down to one moment. Red had all the evidence to exonerate Liz and had set up a meeting with Ressler to hand everything over. Of course it was a trap, a trap that Red never saw coming. The second Red handed the brief case over to Ressler, the FBI agent pulled out his gun and put three bullets into Reds chest so fast that Dembe didn't have time to do anything except catch the falling body of his best friend and brother before it hit the floor.

She could remember the day she found out as clearly as she could see Dembe in front of her now. She was sitting in the box, trying to figure out when Red was coming for her when suddenly Harold Cooper appeared before her. He gave a nod and the box was opened. He explained to her that Red had been successful in exonerating her and that she was free to go. It wasn't until Dembe appeared that she felt something was wrong. He didn't need to speak the words, the unshed tears and spots of blood on his shirt told her everything she needed to know. She remembered her knees giving way as the tears streamed from her face, her loud screams of anguish echoed around the massive room. Dembe's arms wrapped around her and together they cried for him. For a fallen friend, brother, lover and father. The thought that Red never knew he had a child made Liz cry even harder. She had wanted to tell him, she had planned on telling him after they got to their new safe house but then he was taken by the Kings of the Highway, and she was captured by Ressler.

Even now the pain was still fresh, she had loved him so much and was so very happy when he reciprocated her feelings. She didn't even care anymore if she was exonerated as long as she was with him, and then not even four months later he was taken from her. When she had found out that Red was killed by Ressler's hand she flew into a rage, she had always had a sinking feeling that Ressler was not all he appeared to be, but she couldn't quite put her finger one it. It only took her and Dembe six months to find him on the beaches of Maui, he didn't even try to beg for his life, which enraged her more but she couldn't do it, she couldn't pull the trigger. She handed the gun to Dembe and walked out of the room breaking into tears at the sound of the gun being emptied into her now dead ex-partner.

Liz shook her head, pulling herself back to the present as they pulled into the cemetery. Her heart sank even more as they neared his grave. The black marble headstone was the only thing that was lavish, Dembe had arranged everything and promised Liz that Red never wanted a massive headstone, which had surprised her. She had expected him to have a grand tomb built with the most expensive coffin money could buy. Her mind started drifting to his funeral and she quickly pushed that thought away, she couldn't think about that right now. The car slowed to a complete stop and Dembe got out to open her door but she didn't get out right away, not until Marie tugged on her hand.

Mother and daughter slowly walked hand in hand to the marker. The engraving getting bigger and bigger as they approached the familiar text.

Raymond 'Red' Reddington

A Most Beloved Friend, Brother, Husband & Father

Gone but Never Forgotten

February 7th 1960 – November 11th 2015

Kneeling down, she traced the word 'Husband' over and over. They hadn't actually gotten married but she knew that if he did ask she would have said yes, plus he was her husband in every sense of the word. The first time she saw it she cried against Dembe's chest for almost forty-five minutes. She watched as Marie placed the red rose on top of the headstone leaving her two tiny hands next to it. She was a splitting image of Red, from the blue eyes to the gift for gab. The only thing that indicated that Liz was her mother was her brown hair and nose, everything else was all Red.

"Hi daddy. Mommy and I came to see you 'fore Uncle 'Embe takes us to 'stralia. Mommy said I'm going to see roo's and 'wala bears. I wish you could come wiff us daddy." The little girl leaned forward a placed a kiss the word 'Father' before straightening back up. "I miss you daddy and I love you."

Liz let the tears fall freely as she watched her daughter, her heart breaking all over again. It pained her to know that her little girl will never know her father. Even though Liz had Sam, there was a very small part of her that wished she had the chance to meet her biological dad. She pulled Marie into her arms giving the little girl a tight hug before telling her to go to Dembe. She watched as the two of them climbed back into the car, giving her privacy, before turning back to the headstone.

"Oh god Raymond! I miss you so much. Three years and it's not even remotely easier to deal with you being gone." She kept tracing her word as she spoke. "You'd be so proud of your daughter Red, she's exactly like you, witty and smart and she has a great sense of style. I love you so much Raymond."

She leaned down to kiss her word but was stopped as a voice broke through the silence. "I love you too Elizabeth." Her breath caught and she swore her heart stopped, that voice, even after three years she'd know that voice anywhere.

"Red?" She slowly turned her head and there he was. Standing not even six feet from her, wearing her favorite grey three piece suit under a black wool coat, his trademark fedora tipped off to the side on his head. He looked exactly the same, maybe a bit thinner, but essentially the same. She slowly stood on her feet, having to use the headstone to balance herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Red had been waiting at the cemetery for close to three hours. He had gotten a message from Dembe that Liz and Marie would be visiting his grave today but was not sure of the time. A feeling of intense nervousness washed over him when he saw the familiar black Mercedes pull up to his grave. He wanted nothing more than to run over to her and his daughter the second they stepped out of the car but he knew that he needed to speak with Liz alone before even trying to tackle talking to his daughter. Red had been "dead" for six months before Dembe told him that Liz was carrying his child. He almost dropped everything to come out of hiding just so he could see his little girl, but he knew that he needed to end this war if he wanted to be able to have a normal life.

"Red? Is that really you?" Liz's voice sounded so small, so full of wariness.

He took a deep breath, removing his red tinted sunglasses. "Yes Lizzie, it's really me."

Red didn't immediately go to her, he felt that she needed to make the first move. Finding her feet, Liz slowly started to walk towards him, extending her hand out to touch him. She fully expected her hand to pass right through him thinking she was having a hallucination, but her hand met a firm, real body. Tears streamed down her face, uncontrolled and forceful, her breathing picking up to an almost hyperventilating speed. She pressed her left hand harder against his body, reassuring herself that he really is here standing in front of her, alive. Red brought his right hand up to cover hers laying against his chest, keeping the contact between them he's missed for so long. Tears fell down his cheeks as well. Before he realized what was happening, Liz's right palm connected painfully with his cheek and making his head turn slightly at the blow, the sharp sound breaking to quiet of the morning.

"H-how c-could you do t-that to me? Three years…" She yelled. He expected her to be angry with him. He was fully prepared for her to hit and yell at him. Her hand connected with his cheek again, and he just took the blow. "Three years…thr-three fu-fucking years I mourned y-y-your de-death you son of-of a bitch!"

She slapped him a third time before balling up her fists and beating his chest over and over. Her cries and words of venom molded together to become a string of incoherent babbling as she let out her rage. He just stood there and took it, he knew he deserved every minute of this and would stay here for as long as Liz needed. In front of him Liz's eyes were wide and her breathing was getting faster and faster, and her strikes getting weaker and weaker. Liz was hyperventilating. Her eyes were wide and scared, tears still streaming down her face unchecked, and then her knees buckled, Red was there to catch her. He would never let her fall. Ever. Quickly he pulled her into his chest as they sunk to the ground.

"It's ok Lizzie. I'm here. I'm really here with you my love." He cooed into her ear. "Slow your breathing sweetheart. Breath in and out with me." He repeated to her as they sat on the ground, Red slowly rocked them back and forth needing her to calm down. With his right hand still covering her own against his chest, he maneuvered them through his layers of clothes until her hand made contact with the warm skin of his chest. He slid her hand over until it was covering where his heart lay beneath.

"Feel my heartbeat Lizzie. Calm your breathing. It's ok." The contact seemed to be working, she was slowly calming down, her breathing slowed and her sobs quieting down to occasional sniffs. Her right arm had worked its way around his neck, keeping him as close to her as she can manage.

"Raymond." She breathed against his neck.

"I'm here Lizzie, my Lizzie." He replied back, thick with emotion. He had feared that he would never feel her against him again, but having her here now in his arms is the best moment he's experienced in three years. Pulling her head back to look at him, Red leaned in and captured her lips in a fierce kiss, not wanting to wait any longer to taste her again.

She tightened her hold on his head allowing him to deepen the kiss, sighing when his tongue touched hers. She was still livid with him, but having him in her arms again after being so long without him, she allowed her happiness to override her anger, she could yell at him later. They sat there for what seemed like forever, reacquainting themselves with each other's mouth. Liz pulled back suddenly turning her head to look behind her, the car was gone.

"I had Dembe take her for a drive so that you and I could talk." He held his hand up, stopping her from speaking. "Lizzie, sweetheart…I know you are absolutely livid with me and you have every right to be, but I'm begging you to please let me explain why I did what I did."

She regarded him for a moment before nodding. His shoulders sagged in relief and he moved to stand up, he reached down and assisted her before lacing his fingers through her own. They slowly started walking, with no destination in mind and after a minute Red began his tale.

"Lizzie, before I begin I need you to allow me to say my piece without interruption. I need you to keep an open mind. Can you do that for me please?" She could only nod her agreement. "For a while now I knew there was another mole in the FBI, someone who wasn't part of the Cabal or one of the Directors men. Even though we had taken out all the big players of the Cabal I knew there were others. It took me nearly a year to discover that is was Agent Ressler. Believe me I was not prepared for that one, but after another six months I was able to confirm it without a doubt. I knew then and there that no matter what happened, you were not going to be exonerated, so I made a deal with Donald. I told him that I would give him anything he wanted as long as you were spared. He agreed but said that the only thing that he wanted, really wanted, was for me to turn myself into him."

Red took a breath. "So I agreed. Dembe and I set up the meeting but part of me knew that I wasn't going to walk out of there alive. So I made sure that my entire medical team was on standby. I met with Donald, handed him everything that would be needed to set you free. I'll admit that I wasn't expecting him to be the one to pull the trigger, although now that I think about it, it makes sense. Anyway Dembe rushed me to Kate but I knew that unless Ressler thought I was truly dead you wouldn't be free. So I had Kate fake my death, she had a death certificate made up and we had Harold Cooper brought in to deliver the news to the entire task force. Dembe didn't find out I was alive until about three months after we staged it and I suffered a broken jaw because of it. Anyway, I've spent the last three years hunting down the remaining people of the Cabal."

He stopped and turned towards her, cupping her face in his hands. "It's finally over Lizzie. Every threat has been eliminated, and every shred of evidence against you and me is gone. I know you may hate me for what I did but believe me that I did it only to keep you and Marie safe."

Liz just stared at him, searching his eyes for any trace of deceit and couldn't find anything but undying love and devotion. She tried to be mad at him, she wanted to be mad at him, wanted to scream and yell and hit him. She wanted to hate him for what he put her through, for what he put their daughter through. She wanted to tell him how much she's suffered over the years. She wanted to tell him to go to hell and walk away but she couldn't. She listened to his explanation and could only feel immense love for him, love for a man who gave up his family to protect them. The tears came back and she threw herself against him wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his neck.

"I love you Raymond, and I could never hate you. I am however extremely pissed at you and will be giving you an ear full later, but right now I'm just so happy to have you back with me. With us. I don't agree with the way you went about eliminating OUR enemies but I understand why you did it. All I want right now is for us to go home so we can be alone and reacquaint our bodies with one another, then spend the rest of our lives together as a family."

Red felt new tears prickle his eyes has he hugged her tightly to him. He was so overwhelmed that Liz wasn't turning away from him. He had been so hesitant to approach her, knowing that there was a strong chance that she would turn from him and not allow him in her life, or in his daughter's life. Yet here she was in his arms holding onto him for dear life. He pulled back, watery blue eyes locked onto watery blue eyes. The smile on her face was huge and bright and Red couldn't help but mimic it.

"Do you want me to call Dembe back?" Her smiled faltered a bit. She had completely forgotten about Marie.

"Oh my god…Red…how are we gonna tell Marie?" Liz started to panic again. "What if she doesn't understand? What if she hates me for this?"

"Lizzie, sweetheart calm down." Red couldn't hold back his chuckle which earned him a nasty glare. "We don't have to explain everything to her in detail. Remember she's only three years old, she only needs the basics. Let me handle it okay?"

Liz nodded and stepped back from Red as he called Dembe. She took this moment to really look at him. At first she thought he was thinner, that he had lost weight, but he seemed to in fact have added on some muscle judging by what she felt when she hugged him. She was shocked when she saw the five o'clock shadow that he hadn't shaved off yet, although it did look damn sexy on him. He still held himself with the same commanding presence that had first drawn her to him. He was still her Red and she was so happy to have him back.

Red snapped the phone shut and stepped close to Liz. "They'll be here in a few minutes. How much does she know about me?"

Liz wrapped her arms around his waist. "She knows you worked with me, I didn't tell her in what capacity though. She knows what you look like. I have showed her pictures of you every day since the day she was born, and regaled her with some of your stories when putting her to sleep at night." Liz felt embarrassed when she felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. "I didn't want her to grow up not knowing what her father looked like or who he was."

Red was about to respond when he heard the car pull up, seeing Dembe exiting the car. Liz moved towards the back seat wanting to give Red and Dembe a moment. The two men embraced strongly, exchanging words in Dembe's mother tongue before hugging again. Liz helped her daughter out of the car, trying to keep Red out of her line of sight, turning Marie's back to Red, Liz squatted down so that she was eye level with her daughter.

"Marie baby…um…mommy has something that she needs to tell you. And she needs you to be a big girl and listen fully before asking questions okay? Do you think you can do that for me?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. "Yes mommy. I can be a big girl."

Liz planted a kiss to her rosy cheek. "Marie, do you remember how I told you that your daddy was in heaven?" The little girl nodded. "And do you remember how I told you that once someone goes to heaven they don't come back because they become an angel and watch over us?"

Again a nod, Liz took a deep breath and snuck a glance at Red before continuing. "Well mommy made a mistake my sweet. I want you to turn around." Slowly the toddler turned, locking eyes with Red who had crouched down as well. They held eye contact for a while, Red could see the wheels in her little head turning. He took his hat and glasses off, laying them on the ground before opening his mouth.

"Hello Marie." Was all he said, he didn't want to freak out the child.

Marie looked back at Liz with a confused look on her face. "Why does he look like daddy?"

"Because…that is daddy Marie."

"But daddy's dead." It was more of a statement than a question. Liz opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by Red.

"Marie." She turned back to look at him. "I was pretending to be dead. There were people that wanted to hurt mommy, so I pretended to be dead so that they would leave her alone. I am so sorry that I wasn't able to tell you that it was all just pretend. I am sorry that I haven't been with you all this time. But I did what I needed to do in order to keep you and mommy safe."

The little girl looked at him and for a long time said nothing. After what seemed like an eternity her little legs moved and she walked towards Red. No words were said by anyone as she threw her little arms around his neck, squeezing at tightly as a three year old could. Immediately Red's arms enclosed around Marie's body as tears fell silently down his face. He buried his nose in her hair allowing her scent to wash over him. While he loved Liz with every fiber of his being, the love he felt for his little girl in his arms was insurmountable.

He held onto her for a few moments more before trying to pull back. He smiled as her arms tightened around his neck, keeping on arm under her legs Red stood up, extending his hand to Liz who wasted no time threading their fingers together. As one unit they turned towards Dembe who already had the back door opened, Liz went first followed by Red who gave Dembe a smile of thanks. Dembe waited until Liz gave him the go ahead and slowly pulled the car out of the cemetery and headed towards Liz's house.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Marie had fallen asleep in Red's arms on the drive back to Liz's house. Red held tightly onto her and Liz's hand, almost as if he were afraid they would both disappear if he blinked. Dembe pulled the car to a stop and came around to open the door for Red, preventing him from having to relinquish his hold on his daughter. Red followed Liz up the front stairs and into the house, stopping only to slip their shoes off before she led him to Marie's room. Red waved off Liz's offer to help as he gently pulled her coat and boots off and tucked their child into her bed. Leaning down, Red placed a gentle kiss to his daughters' forehead before backing out of the room and closing the door.

Red walked down the hallway looking for Liz. He found her in her bedroom, standing at the window looking out into nothing, her arms wrapped around herself. Red closed the door behind him as he stepped into the room, stripping off his over coat and suit jacket. Liz didn't move as she heard the rustling of clothes. She was almost scared to turn around and not find him there, that this had all been a dream that she thought of as she stood at the window. She heard the soft brush of his sock clad feet against the carpet and knew he was standing a couple feet from her.

"Lizzie." He said quietly, as if trying to avoid scaring her. Slowly she turned to face him, not bothering to try to conceal the tears that had started to fall. He closed the distance between them in two strides, bringing his hands up to hold her face and wipe the tears away with his thumbs.

"Oh Lizzie, I'm so so sorry. I'm sorry about all of this…about everything you went through. All the pain you felt. I just…I just needed you and our little girl to be safe. Believe me when I tell you that I thought of you both every day, missed you both incredibly every day, and told you both how much I loved you, every day. Even if you couldn't hear it." He intoned quietly, his own tears now fell down his face. Liz unwrapped her arms from around herself and quickly reached for Red, pulling his body completely against hers and pressing their foreheads together.

"Please Red…please tell me you won't be leaving us again. I couldn't take it, and it would break Marie. Please don't leave us." She cried freely now, truly afraid she'd lose him again so soon after having just gotten him back.

"Oh Lizzie. I'm not going anywhere ever again. Not unless the two of you are with me. That is of course, if you'll have me. It would be foolish of me to think that you waited for me in all this time. And I wouldn't blame you if you had moved on and found…" Liz placed a finger on his lips, shutting him up.

"Stop. Don't even think about completing that sentence Raymond Reddington. There hasn't been anyone since you, and there will never be any man but you. When I told you I loved you, I meant it. Forever. I love you Raymond, and there is no other man for me. Even in death, you will always be my one and only. Dembe did a fantastic job of stepping in as a father figure for Marie, but now that you are back with us, you can take that roll over." She said sweetly, her excitement shining through her eyes. Quickly though, a shadow of doubt crosses over her which worried Red.

"Unless of course you yourself have someone else. I know three years is a long time to go without…well you know. So I…I'd understand if in that time you meet another woman and…" Red silenced her with his mouth, thrusting his tongue into her mouth wrapping around hers. He pulled back after a few seconds.

"Absolutely not Lizzie. There was never and there will never be anyone else for me. You're it. I meant it when I told you that I loved you. Forever." He repeated back to her. "Since the day I died, I was never with another woman. I promise you that. I was and will always be faithful to you my love." He whispered against her lips, his eyes piercing hers, willing her to believe him.

"I love you Red." She said before pulling him back in for a fierce kiss. She took his breath away, both literally and figuratively and he had to pull back when his body screamed for oxygen. He looked at her and cocked an eyebrow at her confused look.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours sweetheart?"

"What about your business?" She asked. "As much as I love you Red, I won't have Marie become a target for whoever may want you dead. I won't have our daughter exposed in any way to your illegal dealings."

"That won't happen because I no longer have a business…well an illegal one that is." Her brow furrowed more causing him to laugh. "I sold it. All of it. I cut all ties, collected on and paid off all debts. Settled all my scores. I'm officially out of the game and am a free man, I paid a visit to Cooper a month ago. I gave him the last names on the Blacklist and told him exactly how to take each of them down. He granted me full pardon and even managed a clean record. So I am quite literally a free man." He told her with a large smile on his face.

Liz couldn't help the huge smile that broke out on her face at the news. Red was just about to say something else but stopped when he registered a familiar scent. He sniffed a few times, turning his head to figure out where it was coming from. He was so caught up in trying to locate the source that he missed the sly look on Liz's face. Turning his face toward the bed, he took another deep inhalation, he closed his eyes trying to focus on scent. He inhaled one more time and he realized what it was. His eyes snapped open and he turned his head back to look at Liz.

"Is that…?" He trailed off.

"Yes it is." Liz told him, walking him over to his side of the bed. She picked up his pillow and passes it to him. He looks down at the pillow and fresh tears prickle his eyes. His pillow was encased in the t-shirt he wore to bed the last night they slept together before he was "killed". He brought the pillow up to his nose and took in a deep breath, it smelled like his aftershave, a smell Liz admitted to absolutely loving on him.

"How?" He whispered quietly.

"Dembe told me you had it custom made, so he helped me procure your aftershave. But you also left your pajamas at my old apartment, and I couldn't bring myself to get rid of any of your stuff. I actually still have all the clothes and accessories you left at my old place here with me." Looking down at her shuffling feet, Red smiled at the blush that started to rise on her cheeks. "And the bathroom is made up the exact same way as my old one. Your toothbrush is still in the holder, your straight razor shaving kit is on your side of the sink, and your shampoo and body wash is in the shower…" She said getting quieter and quieter as she tells him this, embarrassment showing in her features. All Red could feel right now was an all-encompassing love and warmth for the woman standing in front of him.

"Oh my sweet Lizzie." He said as he put the pillow back down and pulled her into him. "I missed you so much. So much. And I'm never letting you go again." He bent down and captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss that made her entire body tingle.

"I love you." He spoke to her, dropping soft kisses on her neck.

"I love you too." She answered, her eyes closing gently. "God that feels good." They took their time undressing each other, they had three years to make up for and they would be damned if they rushed this. When skin met skin they both emitted a pleasurable moan as they fell onto the bed. Red rolled them over, settling between her legs.

"I need you Lizzie, I need you now and forever. For the rest of our lives." He murmured, sliding deep inside her. They moved in tandem, even after three years they remembered what the other liked. Where to touch and kiss. They were so close to mutual completion, overwhelmed by their intense emotions and acute senses. Liz couldn't keep her eyes closed.

"Sweetheart…look at me." He whispered, he wanted to watch her as she was consumed by pleasure. Her eyes opened and tried to focus on him. Red smiled at her, stroking her cheek gently with his thumb. "I love you so much Elizabeth." He smiled as he felt her tremble beneath him. He slipped his hand hers, lacing their fingers. "Let go, baby, I'm right there with you."

Her hand gripped his tightly as her orgasm ripped through her, his name tumbling from her lips. He buried his face in her neck groaning as he followed her over the edge. As the came down from their high Red placed loving kisses around Liz's face and smiled when her eyes fluttered open. The depth of love he had for this woman was mirrored in her eyes and made Red think of only one thing. Home.

"Don't move yet." Liz whispered, as he went to roll off her.

He gave a small chuckle. "I'm too heavy sweetheart. I'll crush you."

She shook her head and wrapped her legs around his waist. "I like you being this close. I need you to be this close Red."

He sighed and sagged against her, putting most of his weight on his forearms. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her nails gently raking over his skull. After a few more moments, he gently rolled them to their sides, softly caressing her face with his knuckles. Liz's right hand carded through his chest hair, loving the coarse feel beneath her palm. Leaning down Red placed a lingering kiss to her lips, pressing just a little bit harder before pulling back and dragging her body completely up against his own. The breath of a distance between them was too much for him at the moment. He needed her so much is scared him. How he survived three years without her he'll never know, but that's not something that will ever happen again. He felt Liz's breathing start to even out, as she started to drift off in his warm embrace. Before he did so himself, he slowly extricated his body from hers and brought the blankets up around her body. Rolling off the bed, Red grabbed his discarded boxers and slipped them on. He gave Liz a lopsided smile before quietly moving to the door.

"Where are you going?" She asked sleepily, snuggling into his pillow.

"I want to check on Marie."

Liz let out a chuckle. "Already overprotective."

Red returned the laugh and headed down the hall. He slowly entered his daughter's room, his heart swelling at the sight of his baby girl sleeping peacefully. Quietly he walked across the threshold, pulling her tiger blanket up to her shoulders and dropped a soft kiss to her head.

"I love you so much my girl. I promise you I won't ever leave again." Placing one last kiss in the same spot as the other, Red straightened up and left as quietly as he came.

Making his way back to Liz's bedroom, he pushed the door open and was momentarily disappointed when he didn't see Liz's naked form lying in bed. He was about to call out her name when she appeared in the bathroom doorway clad only in his dress shirt. Without words Red walked over to his side of the bed and flicked on the nightstand light. He bent down to grab his discarded suit jacket and dug around in the inside breast pocket, pulling out a velvet box. He heard Lizzie walk up behind him and couldn't quash the soft moan from escaping his lips as her fingers ran up, down and around his scarred back. He slowly turned to face her, immediately connecting with her love filled eyes.

"I've been carrying this around for three years, five months, two weeks and three days." He spoke, taking one of her hands in his before dropping to one knee in front of her. "I know this isn't the most romantic proposal, and if that is what you want, then I can certainly do this again in the near future, but I cannot wait another second to ask for your hand in marriage. I need you Elizabeth. More than I need my next breath. You have blessed me with a second chance at being a husband and a father, and I cannot thank you enough for that. When I walked into your life six years ago, I never in my wildest dreams imagined us ever getting to this point. I knew how I felt about you, but I never dared to hope my feelings would be returned. I love you Lizzie. So much. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Be by my side until the end of time." He finished, his hands shaking slightly as he held the now open box up to her in an offering. A lifelong promise. New tears run down Liz's face as she dropped to her knees in front of him her eyes locked with his.

"Oh yes Raymond...oh yes oh yes." She answered him leaning forward to kiss him deeply. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. The box falling to the floor in an unheard thud. He reached for the ring and slid it onto her finger, bringing her hand up, he placed a warm kiss to the underside of the ring, as if trying to meld the ring into her body so it's a permanent fixture.

"I love you Raymond Reddington" Liz whispered, her eyes soft and shining with love.

"I love you more Elizabeth Reddington…or well, soon to be Elizabeth Reddington."

The End


End file.
